Gilford advances in NHIAA playoffs behind 24 points from sophomore

GILFORD — Sophomore Cody Goodwin and the Golden Eagles beat Prospect Mountain 59-53 on Thursday night to advance to the quarter-final round of the NHIAA Division III Boys Basketball Tournament. Goodwin had a game high 24 points.

The Golden Eagles dressed only eight players, due to suspensions handed out after an altercation in the final game of the regular season. Goodwin, normally a role player off the bench, nailed down five three pointers and ended the game converting a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left to secure the victory.

Eleventh-seeded Prospect Mountain kept pace with sixth seeded Gilford throughout the evening. The largest deficit was only 11 points, at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Prospect Mountain came within two points with two minutes remaining but Gilford tightened up on the defensive end of the court and forced the Timberwolves to foul. The Golden Eagles were a perfect six for six from the free throw line in the final two minutes.

Juniors Kaleb Orton had 14 points and Nate Davis had nine for the Golden Eagles.

Gilford will head to the three seed Berlin on Saturday for the quarter-final matchup. In other NHIAA Division III play Thursday night night, seventh seeded Winnisquam fell to number 10 Farmington 58-57 and ninth-seeded Laconia lost at eighth-seeded Mascoma Valley (Enfield), 59-43.